Braking arrangement, vehicle comprising such a braking arrangement, and method of controlling the braking arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12168425-B2
Application number	US-202217741520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2022
Priority date	May 21, 2021
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

The present invention relates to a braking arrangement for a vehicle, the braking arrangement comprising an electric machine electrically connectable to an electric power source, a brake compressor positioned in an air flow conduit, the brake compressor being configured to pressurize a flow of air and to exhaust the pressurized flow of air, and a compressor shaft mechanically connecting the electric machine and the brake compressor to each other, wherein the electric machine is configured to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor to pressurize the flow of air, the braking arrangement further comprising an air bearing arrangement, the air bearing arrangement being fluidly connectable to a pressurized brake air tank of the vehicle via an air bearing conduit, wherein the air bearing arrangement is suspending the compressor shaft to at least one of the electric machine and the brake compressor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A braking arrangement for a vehicle comprising:
an electric machine electrically connectable to an electric power source,
a brake compressor positioned in an air flow conduit, the brake compressor being configured to pressurize a flow of air and to exhaust the pressurized flow of air, and
a compressor shaft mechanically connecting the electric machine and the brake compressor to each other,
wherein the electric machine is configured to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor to pressurize the flow of air,
the braking arrangement further comprising:
an air bearing arrangement, the air bearing arrangement being fluidly connectable to a pressurized brake air tank of the vehicle via an air bearing conduit,
wherein the air bearing arrangement is suspending the compressor shaft to at least one of the electric machine and the brake compressor,

an air bearing valve positioned in the air bearing conduit for controllable supply of a flow of pressurized air to the air bearing arrangement, and
a control unit connected to the air bearing valve, the control unit being configured to control the air bearing valve between a first state in which the air bearing valve is closed and pressurized air is prevented from reaching the air bearing arrangement, and a second state in which the air bearing valve is open and pressurized air from pressurized brake air tank is supplied to the air bearing arrangement,
wherein the control unit is further configured to:
receive a signal indicative of an upcoming driving condition for the vehicle,
determine a vehicle braking requirement for operating the vehicle during the upcoming driving condition,
compare the vehicle braking requirement with a predetermined threshold limit, and
control the air bearing valve to assume the second state throughout the upcoming driving condition when the vehicle braking requirement exceeds the predetermined threshold limit.

2. The braking arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
receive a signal indicative of a desired vehicle speed for the vehicle, and
control the air bearing valve to transition from the first state to the second state before the vehicle initiates a control of the vehicle speed.

3. The braking arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is further connected to the electric machine, the control unit being configured to:
control the electric machine to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor at a predetermined time period after the air bearing valve assumes the second state.

4. The braking arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the air bearing arrangement comprises an air journal bearing.

5. The braking arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the air bearing arrangement comprises an air thrust bearing.

6. The braking arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical brake resistor arrangement arranged in the air flow conduit at a position downstream the brake compressor.

7. The braking arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising an air heating arrangement arranged in the air flow conduit at a position upstream the brake compressor for heating the air supplied to the brake compressor.

8. The braking arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the air heating arrangement is formed by the electric machine, wherein air is received and heated by the electric machine and supplied to the brake compressor.

9. The braking arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the air heating arrangement is formed by a heat exchanger connected to a liquid cooling system of the vehicle.

10. The braking arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising an air flow restriction arrangement arranged in the air flow conduit at a position downstream the brake compressor.

11. A vehicle at least partially propelled by an electric traction motor comprising:
a pressurized brake air tank arranged to supply pressurized air to a pneumatically controlled wheel brake connected to a wheel of the vehicle, and
the braking arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the pressurized brake air tank is arranged in fluid communication with the air bearing arrangement.

12. A method of controlling a braking arrangement of a vehicle, the braking arrangement comprising:
an electric machine electrically connected to an electric power source of the vehicle,
a brake compressor positioned in an air flow conduit of the brake compressor, and
a compressor shaft mechanically connecting the electric machine and the brake compressor to each other,
wherein the electric machine is configured to generate a torque on the compressor shaft, the braking arrangement further comprising an air bearing arrangement fluidly connected to a pressurized brake air tank of the vehicle, and
wherein the air bearing arrangement is suspending the compressor shaft to at least one of the electric machine and the brake compressor,
the method comprising:
determining an upcoming braking event for the vehicle,
controlling a supply of flow of air from the pressurized brake air tank to the air bearing arrangement before initiation of the braking event, and
controlling the electric machine to generate a torque on the compressor shaft for operating the brake compressor to pressurize a flow of air at a predetermined time period after the supply of the flow of air from the pressurized brake air tank to the air bearing arrangement has been initiated.

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Rahm Fredrik
• Audhav Tove
• Bhavani Shankar Vijai Shankar

Classifications

• B60T17/06

  Applications or arrangements of reservoirs · CPC title

• B60T17/002

  Air treatment devices · CPC title

• B60T17/02 Primary

  Arrangements of pumps or compressors, or control devices therefor · CPC title

• B60T2250/04

  Vehicle reference speed; Vehicle body speed · CPC title

• B60T13/741

  acting on an ultimate actuator · CPC title